Step ladder



April 16, 1963 H. B. RICH STEP LADDER 'Filed June 3, 1960 INVENTOR.HOWARD B .RICH

ATTORNEYS 3,085,651 STEP LADDER Howard B. Rich, Carroilton, Ky.,assignor to Howard B. Rich, Ina, Carroilton, Ky., a corporation ofKentucky Filed June 3, 1960, Ser. No. 33,684 1 Claim. (til. l82222) Thisinvention relates to stepladders and to a step con struction for astepladder.

An object of this invention is to provide a sturdy, light weight, rigidstep construction for a stepladder.

A further object of this invention is to provide a ladder having woodside rails and strong, sturdy steps of extruded metal so constructedthat the steps are safely and strongly secured to the side rails and inwhich the securing means which attaches the steps to the side railsserves to support the steps.

A further object of this invention is to provide a step construction fora stepladder of this type having a tread portion on the lower face ofwhich are mounted elongated flanges which eXtend downwardly alongopposite lengthwise edges thereof and in which the lower edge of eachflange is divided into lengthwise bifurcations which engage and embracetension rods, there being a tension rod for each flange, the tensionrods linking the side rails of the ladder so that the tension rodsunderlie and support the flanges and support the steps.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertainsfrom the following detailed description and drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stepladder constructed in accordancewith an embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a portion of one siderail and one step;

FIG. 3 is a view in section taken on the line 33 in FIG. 2, showing thestep in transverse section, the step being removed from the ladder.

In FIG. 1 of the drawing is shown a collapsible stepladder 11 havingside rails 2 and 3 hinge-connected at their upper ends to brace or staylegs 4 and 5. The upper end of the ladder is provided with a platform 6.The stay legs 4 and 5 are provided with cross braces 8 and 9. The rails2 and 3 are connected to the stay legs 4 and 5 by means of braces 10 and11 which may be of usual construction. As shown, each of the braces 19and 11 comprises links 12 and 13 which are hinged at 14 and 15 to theside rails and stay legs as shown. Adjacent ends of the links are hingedtogether, as at 16.

The ladder is provided with steps 18, the construction of which is moreparticularly shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Each tread or step is formed of rigid extruded metal, such as aluminumor the like, and is provided with a relatively broad tread portion 19having downwardly projecting deep edge flanges 2t and 21 along oppositeedges thereof.

The tread portion 19 may be provided with ribs 22 which serve tostrengthen the step and prevent slippage when a person stands on thestep.

As shown most clearly in FIG. 3, the lower portion of the deep edgeflange terminates in bifurcations 23 and 24. Similarly, the deep edgeflange 21 terminates in bifurcations 26 and 28. As shown, thebifurcations are curved so that, as shown in FIG. 2, each set ofbifurca- 3,085,651 Patented Apr. 16, 1963 tions is adapted to receiveand embrace a tension or tie rod, the bifurcations 23 and 24 receiving atie rod 31 and bifurcations 26 and 28 receiving a tie rod 32. As shownin FIGS. 1 and 2, the tie rods extend through the side rails 2 and 3.The side rails can be formed of wood or other suitable material. Eachend of each tie rod carries a washer 34 and a nut 36, threaded on thetie rod. The washers engage outer faces of the side rails 2 and 3 sothat, when the nuts 36 are tightened, the side rails are drawn andcompressed against ends of the steps. As shown most clearly in FIGS. 1and 2, the deep edge flanges 2t) and 21 form edge faces for the stepsand conceal the tie rods.

The tie rods 31 and 32 may be formed of steel wire or the like. The tierods underlie and serve to support the deep edge flanges, and, in turn,the deep edge flanges support the tread portion of the steps.

The stepladder construction illustrated in the drawing and describedabove is subject to structural modification without departing from thespirit and scope of the appended claim.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

A ladder construction comprising a pair of side rails, a plurality ofspaced, parallel, rigid step members spanning said rails, each of saidstep members including a flat tread portion having parallel edges anddownwardly depending front and rear flanges contiguous with said treadportion from end-to-end between said side rails at the parallel edges ofsaid tread portion, the front flange being unobstructed andperpendicular to said tread portion, the rear flange being substantiallyperpendicular thereto, said flanges each terminating in a bifurcatededge ,the bifurcations at each edge being of arcuate, complementaryshape having spaced apart terminal edges and defining an elongatedtubular passage at each lower edge of each depending flange, a pair oftension rods engaging each side rail and disposed within each elongatedtubular passage to hold the side rails in tight engagement with each endof each of the step members, said elongated passages being so formed asto closely and irreleasably engage said tension rods whereby saidtension rods reinforce said flanges and, simultaneously, said tensionrods are prevented from flexing due to loads imposed on said stepmember, said tread portion, said downwardly disposed flanges and saidbifurcated ends of said flanges being formed integrally as a rigid, onepiece, extruded metal section.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS652,010 Wheeler June '19, 1900 1,087,878 Harrah Feb. 17, 1914 2,265,735Lambert Dec. 9, 1941 2,485,165 Pollman W Oct. 18, 1949 2,488,633 Linderet al. Nov. 22, 1949 2,606,079 White Aug. 5, 1952 2,844,292 Rich July22, 1958 2,963,761 Haydock Dec. 13, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 789,998 FranceSept. 2, 1935 139,644 Australia Dec. 7, 1950

